Seven Demons That May Be the Root of Your Nightmares

We have all experienced a nightmare or two in our lifetimes. They can be the source of serious emotional turmoil and result in psychological terror.

Imagine opening your eyes to find the source of your bad dream is sitting on the edge of your bed, not a dream at all but a demon or spirit hanging out in your room.

Across all cultures we can find stories of sleep demons and spirits there to torture, kill and remove the people they harass. After all that is what the word nightmare originally meant, evil spirit afflicting sleepers with a feeling of suffocation.

1. The Jinn – Karabasan

The Jinn demon from Turkey visits its victim’s room at night and holds them down before proceeding to strangle them.

Should the sleeping victim be lucky enough to be able to whisper a few words before death, prayers to Allah are said to scare the demonic creature away.

On the bright side, attempted murder aside, if you are quick enough to grab the Jinns hat, you can enslave them as your genie for life.

2. Batibat

A malefic demon, Batibat is believed to be found in trees and kills people by infecting them with the fatal Bangungot disease or nightmares. Described as a fat female demon that sits on her victim’s chests until they suffocate to death.

The Batibat are said to take up residence in houses where their tree trunks have been used in the building process. They continue to sleep in the holes of the poles made from the tree trunks they called home and terrorise the sleeping residents of the house.

3. Domovoi

In Latvia, the Domovoi is generally a welcomed household guest, said to protect the families whom it lives with. In particularly protective of pets and children, being abandoned by the houses Domovoi was considered a terrible fate.

Families believed that the Domovoi would pinch them in the sleep awakening with painful bruises on their bodies. This was a sure sign that the spirit wanted them gone.

4. Dab Tsog

Described as a fluffy creature with fangs and claws, Dab Tsog smothers people in their sleep. There have been hundreds of deaths associated with Dan Tsog and the few survivors have described the fluffy creature squatting on their chests pushing the life out of them.

5. Baku

Baku is believed to devour the nightmares of those who call upon him and is often called on to help children suffering from night terrors.

Created from left over pieces of other animals, Baku or the Dreamcatcher should be summoned with caution. If the creature finds itself unsatisfied after its nightmare meal, your hopes and dreams could be the main course.

6. The Hag

The Hag sits in waiting at the foot of her victim’s bed immobilising them while they sleep and in the transition from sleeping to waking. Unable to struggle, or free themselves from her grip, victims have described feeling like she is slowly suffocating them.

7. Nocnitsa

From Slavic Mythology, Nocnitsa is a nightmare demon that terrorises children in their sleep. Like the Hag, Nocnitsa will suck the life force from the bodies of those she chooses to torment. Many believe that the best form of protection is to sleep with a knife on your chest to keep her away.

It seems that the sleep terrorising demons all have a similar modus operandi, terrorise people in their sleep by squashing the life right out of them. In truth these sleep stealing spirits were created to explain the phenomenon of sleep paralysis that many people suffer from.